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Cano returns after dealing with family matter

Robinson Cano, Felix Hernandez and several Mariners players discuss their expectations from Cano during his first season in Seattle

By Greg Johns
/
MLB.com |

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Robinson Cano rejoined the Mariners on Wednesday after a five-day absence and went 1-for-4 with two RBIs in a 9-7 loss to the Brewers, extending his spring hitting streak to seven games and leaving his batting average at a healthy .556.

Cano flew to the Dominican Republic on Friday to deal with a family situation and missed four games, but returned to lace a run-scoring single in the third inning and brought home another with a groundout in the seventh.

The five-time All-Star second baseman said he stayed sharp by working out and hitting batting practice every day with his father, Jose Cano, who was a pitcher in the Yankees, Braves and Astros organizations and had a brief Major League stint with the Astros in 1989.

"Everything is fine," Cano said Wednesday morning after arriving back at the Mariners complex. "I took care of things and now I'm ready to get back. We've still got two weeks, so there's plenty of time to get everything right."

Cano also missed four games earlier in camp after having root canal surgery and returned with three hits his first game back and went 8-for-11 over his next four games before having to leave for the Dominican. He said he stayed tuned up during his first layoff by hitting black beans with a broomstick in order to keep his eyes sharp.

Did he do the same while in the Dominican?

"Yep, I've been doing that since I was a kid," Cano said. "And sometimes we use bottle caps. They really move and you have to watch them all the way. And if you hit 'em, they go a long ways."

Cano has had a sharp eye since the start of spring, after signing a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Mariners. He's now 15-for-27 with two doubles and eight RBIs in 10 games.

"Robbie was fine," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "I thought he swung the bat good, he moved good in the field, said his legs felt great. He didn't really miss a beat."